white coat hypertension
noun
variants
or white-coat hypertension
or white coat syndrome
or white-coat syndrome
or less commonly white coat effect
or white-coat effect
: a temporary elevation in a patient's blood pressure that occurs when measured in a medical setting (such as a physician's office) and that is usually due to anxiety on the part of the patient
Because of white coat hypertension, guidelines for checking blood pressure in both children and adults recommend that after multiple readings in the office, worrisome findings should be confirmed by 24-hour measurement outside the office.—
Aaron E. Carroll
Aaron E. Carroll… there is a condition called white-coat hypertension, which yields higher readings of blood pressure in a doctor's office than occur in real life.—Allan Bruckheim
Allan BruckheimIf you suffer from white coat syndrome, your blood pressure jumps as soon as a doctor or nurse approaches you.—Fred Cicetti
Fred CicettiExamples of white coat hypertension in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For instance, some people experience 'white coat hypertension,' where their blood pressure spikes in a medical setting due to anxiety.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 7 Dec. 2023
People with white-coat hypertension regularly experience higher blood pressure in clinical settings as a result of anxiety or fear.
—Marion Renault, The Atlantic, 6 Aug. 2020
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Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 7 Dec. 2023
People with white-coat hypertension regularly experience higher blood pressure in clinical settings as a result of anxiety or fear.
—Marion Renault, The Atlantic, 6 Aug. 2020
Dictionary Entries Near white coat hypertension
Cite this Entry
“White coat hypertension.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/white%20coat%20hypertension. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
white coat hypertension
noun
variants
or white-coat hypertension
or white coat syndrome
or white-coat syndrome
also white coat effect
or white-coat effect
: a temporary elevation in a patient's blood pressure that occurs when measured in a medical setting (as a physician's office) and that is usually due to anxiety on the part of the patient
Conventional measurements by physicians in the office can be inaccurate because of variable reactions by the patients (white coat hypertension) and errors in technique.—Internal Medicine News
Internal Medicine News… white-coat hypertension, in which a patient's BP is elevated when measured by health care personnel but is otherwise normal, occurs in approximately 20 percent of hypertensive patients.—Suzanne Oparil et al., Scientific American Medicine Bulletin
Suzanne Oparil et al., Scientific American Medicine Bulletin… an occasional office blood pressure measurement may not be a reliable indicator, due to white coat syndrome and blood pressure variability.—Nancy Groves, Medical Economics
Nancy Groves, Medical EconomicsLove words? Need even more definitions?
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